United National Party (UNP) Working Committee member Dinouk Colombage has questioned the government’s renewable energy policy after sharing a notice issued by the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC), stating that the acceptance of applications for solar power projects has been suspended. In a social media post, Colombage said members of the Royal Colombo Golf Club had been informed that the government had notified the club of the suspension of new solar power applications. The notice, dated November 1, 2026, stated that the club had previously obtained approval at a Special General Meeting to refurbish its roof and install a solar power system. However, the club’s management informed members that the project had been placed on hold following the reported suspension of applications by the government, pending further clarification from the relevant authorities. Questioning the decision, Colombage pointed out that Sri Lanka had targeted generating 70% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030 under former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. He questioned whether the government had abandoned that target. The development comes amid earlier restrictions on new rooftop solar approvals introduced by the National System Operator (NSO). In September, the NSO announced measures to regulate new rooftop solar connections due to grid stability concerns and the rapid expansion of solar capacity. However, the NSO maintained that the measures were temporary and did not amount to a long-term restriction on renewable energy development. (Newswire)
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